Rye Whiskey Smash

Rye Whiskey Smash

"Bourbon is a soothing, comforting presence that allows drinkers to drink as if they were warm in their mothers’ wombs. Rye gives you a little taste of being slapped by a jilted lover. But you just can’t help but go back and beg her for another chance." 

I can honestly tell you it was these words from the article “American Whiskey Showdown: Rye vs. Bourbon” by Brown Liquor that made me finally decide that these two spirits while seemingly interchangeable definitely each held a distinct difference and I must find discover the difference for myself. Furthermore, I wanted to a find a cocktail to help showcase each spirit and it's unique characteristics. As you may recall, our first cocktail on this blog was the Whiskey Sour and showcased Maker's Mark Bourbon. Very similar in it's key ingredients, but quite different in it's preparation and presentation is this week's cocktail the “Rye Whiskey Smash”

The Rye Whiskey Smash is a fantastic cocktail of muddled lemon, mint, some simple syrup, and a crisp spicy rye whiskey. It is a veritable celebration of traditional cocktail making where fruits & herbs and spirits are brought together to delight the senses. The Rye Whiskey Smash is served in a rocks glass with crushed ice and a sprig of mint garnish making it a great sit down cocktail for a warm summer day. But, before we build our cocktail let's talk a bit more about rye and bourbon. 

Both are aged from cereal grains for at least two years in charred oak barrels. However, where bourbon must be at least 51% corn (but not exceeding 79% or it is considered corn whiskey) rye must be 51% rye. Suddenly the characteristics of these two becomes very clear. Bourbon is corn based, therefore it is sweet and smooth. Rye is rye based therefore it is crisp and spicy. Historically, rye was more popular before prohibition, and bourbon found it's popularity after. In fact, it seems that it is just within the last decade or so as people are returning to a love of "classic" cocktails that the love for rye is slowly growing again. My rye of choice is Bulleit Rye. The Bulleit Rye has a green label, as opposed to their equally as good Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey which has an orange label. 

For our citrus we are going to use 2 lemon wedges. I made an interesting discovery recently about lemons. While they may be large in size this does not guarantee they contain a tremendous amount of fruit or therefore juice. I plan to research more as to what varieties are better suited for these type of cocktails. You also want to be sure your mint is fresh as possible . My wife grows ours. Yes, she is that awesome. And of course about 3/4 oz simple syrup for sweetness.

This final ingredient may seem to be the least important, but hear me when I say it is crucial to the character of this drink. You want to use crushed ice. Many current households have a refrigerator with a built in ice machine, and some even crush the ice for you. If not you can use a blender as well but be prepared for some trial & error as to the right consistency. I use what is referred to as a Lewis bag. It is a canvas bag, much like bankers use. You can fill it with as much ice as needed and then whack it against a hard surface or with a heavy spoon. Essentially you are beating the ice to a crushed consistency. If you do not have a Lewis bag, they can be purchased online here. 

Nevertheless, you can still get sufficiently crushed ice using a clean dish towel. Put a small mound of ice in the middle pull the four corners together and proceed with the beatings. Be ready for a few runaway ice shards and try to keep the ice as compacted inside the towel as possible. Once the ice is crushed up pour & shake it into a small bowl while you build the rest of your cocktail. 

Rye Whiskey Smash

2 Oz Bulleit Rye Whiskey

2 Lemon Wedges

3/4 Oz Simple Syrup

3-5 Mint leaves

1 mint sprig

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Muddle simple syrup, lemon wedges, and mint leaves in bottom of old fashioned glass, 

add rye whiskey, add crushed ice, top with mint sprig

In a rocks glass muddle 2 lemon wedges, with 3-5 mint leaves and 3/4 oz of simple syrup. Muddling is not a matter of drastic force but rather stirring, pressing and gently but intentionally working the oils and juices free. Once this is well muddled you should start to smell the aroma of sweet citrus and mint. Now add your 2 oz of Bulleit Rye Whiskey and muddle a little more. You now want to fill the rest of the glass with crushed ice. Now take your mint sprig and slap it a couple times on the back of your hand or inside of your palm. This is to stir up and release the sweet refreshing oils inside, thus making your cocktail that much more satisfying. Garnish the cocktail with the freshly awakened mint and serve with two small cocktail straws. Enjoy!